Sandy and Byron Smith, of Oswego, met Pope Benedict XVI when he was still Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger. The couple, their son, and several others from the area went to the Vatican in 1989 on a mission to bring the Latin Mass back to the Syracuse Diocese.

The traditional Mass, which both Sandy and Byron Smith had grown up with, had been banned in the diocese a few years earlier. The couple and others who wanted to have the Mass they remembered were celebrating it in living rooms and basements instead of churches.

They showed up at the Vatican without an appointment, Byron Smith remembered. Their hope was to meet with someone who would bring their message to Ratzinger, who was the Prefect for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Even then, he was well known as a conservative who sympathized with people interested in bringing back the old Mass.

They knocked on the door of the Palace of the Holy Inquisition, where Ratzinger lived. They told the monsignor who came to the door what they wanted to talk about. He told them to wait. Five minutes later, in came Ratzinger.

Sandy Smith remembered that he was gracious and kind. He listened to their case and looked over their paperwork. She remembers, too, being embarrassed when she shook his hand. She’d been doing lots of work outside and around the house before she went on the trip.

“His hands were so soft. I remember thinking, ‘He must think my hands were like pine cones,’” she said.

After the meeting, Sandy Smith left some bars of Nestle chocolate with almonds for Ratzinger. At the time, the chocolate was made in Fulton.

They later received a thank-you note from Ratzinger for the chocolate. The note also said they’d be hearing from the Vatican in a few months.

The following March, the Vatican issued an order allowing Latin Mass in the Syracuse Diocese at four different churches. It was far more than the group expected, Byron Smith said.

“One of Pope Benedict's greatest gifts to the Church was opening doors that had been closed, officially at least, due to discrimination against the former liturgy,” Byron Smith said. “Things are much different now.”

Both Byran and Sandy Smith said they were surprised and sad to hear of Pope Benedict’s plans to resign.

Sandy Smith, though, said the pope made a wise decision to step down before he became too ill to do the work. “It was a good pastoral decision,” she said.